It may look like an idyllic scene, but it’s actually still illegal in the Central Okanagan, where campfires are still banned despite a lifting of the ban in the rest of the Kamloops Fire Centre. —Image: contributed

Camp fire ban not lifted in Central Okanagan

Despite an announcement that the campfire ban in the Kamloops Fire Centre—which includes the Central Okanagan—was lifted at noon on Friday, the Central Okanagan Regional District says that is not the case in its jurisdiction.

“Central Okanagan fire chiefs have not lifted the ban on campfires currently in place in the Regional District of Central Okanagan due to continued high fire hazard ratings,” said the regional district in a release issued Friday afternoon.

The ban, put in place July 26, remains in effect until further notice in local government jurisdictions of the regional district, including Kelowna,Lake Country, West Kelowna, Peachland, the Westbank First Nation and the regional district electoral areas of Central Okanagan East and West, said the RDCO.

Violators could be fined and charged with the cost of fire department response to a burning complaint.